The annual University Conference brought two prestigious awards to faculty in the Slane College of Communications and Fine Arts.

For its collaborative effort in preparing students for interviews with NBC/Universal for 2012 Summer Olympic Games internships, the Department of Communication, together with the Smith Career Center and the Office of Alumni Relations, was the recipient of the Theodore C. Burgess Award for significant achievement in interdepartmental collaboration. Each unit received a crystal recognition piece and monetary award for the achievement.

"Our honorees partnered in a historic and groundbreaking way during the last academic year to give our students the best possible chance to compete for prestigious internship opportunities," said Dr. David Glassman, provost and vice president for academic affairs, who presented the award. "They did so by collaborating to facilitate a fair and timely process that would produce the highest quality of applications by our students."

Also during the Aug. 16 conference, Dr. Paul Gullifor, Henry Means Pindell Endowed Chair in the Department of Communication, was recognized with a Presidential Award for his leadership in securing the NBC opportunity for Bradley students and coordinating efforts to prepare them for interviews with network representatives.

"Our students would not have had this opportunity, nor would our university have received this national attention without the extraordinary efforts of Dr. Gullifor," said President Joanne Glasser, who presented the award. "He has truly changed the lives of these students and other students who will follow."